Coble makes another try at pension reform

Published: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 12:45 PM.

Coble, in fact, is in position to know. He was first elected to his 6th District seat in 1984. The Enterprise reported that during that campaign — waged when Reagan defeated Walter Mondale — Coble vowed not to participate in the pension program. He’s been as good as his word there. He also promised to try and reform the program. His lack of success hasn’t been for lack of effort.

Coble’s common sense approach will hopefully finally rub off on his colleagues, a group consistently cited as among the least popular people in America today. Perhaps Congress can cast itself in a better light if it followed Coble’s example.

U.S. Rep. Howard Coble, Alamance County’s representative in Congress since Ronald Reagan occupied the Oval Office, is nothing if not persistent. He proved it again last week.

Coble, once more introduced a bill that would require members of Congress to serve at least 12 years before they could become vested in the congressional pension program. According to the High Point Enterprise, he introduced a similar bill a few years ago, but it didn’t gain purchase among his fellow House members.

Well, it should.

“Reforming congressional pensions is long overdue,” Coble said in a news release announcing his bill. “From the feedback that I have received over the years, this program is unpopular with many taxpayers.”

Under current law, members of Congress are vested in the congressional pension program after only five years of service and become eligible to receive lifetime benefits. That is less than one Senate term and less than three House terms. Under Coble’s bill, a person would be required to serve two Senate terms, six House terms or a combination of both to become eligible for the program.

That sounds more fitting for the amount of service to us.

Coble, in fact, is in position to know. He was first elected to his 6th District seat in 1984. The Enterprise reported that during that campaign — waged when Reagan defeated Walter Mondale — Coble vowed not to participate in the pension program. He’s been as good as his word there. He also promised to try and reform the program. His lack of success hasn’t been for lack of effort.

Coble’s common sense approach will hopefully finally rub off on his colleagues, a group consistently cited as among the least popular people in America today. Perhaps Congress can cast itself in a better light if it followed Coble’s example.